Guess Which One Is Hikaru Game
by naive-wings
Summary: Someone had told them apart. Someone has cared enough to learn who was who. Someone genuinely liked them for who they are as individuals. Someone who cared about their happiness, and they’d broken her heart. Someone had made them feel guilty.


Guess Which One Is Hikaru Game

The Hitachiin twins sat on the window ledge, staring out at the sheltered area. A brunette walks into view and stops by a pillar.

"She's here." The pair leave the classroom. Time to play that game again.

* * *

Accomplice in place, he walks over to the girl who seems rather interested in her shoes. 

"I got your note." he pulls an envelope from his pocket.

"Hikaru-kun?" she says shyly without looking up.

"No, I'm Kaoru. You must have mistaken my desk for his."

"Oh."

"But I'm no good right? To tell you the truth," he lifts her chin, making their eyes meet. "To tell you the truth, I've always thought that you're cute." she blushes. "Hikaru seems to have someone he likes already, so how about it? Still no good?"

"Um…well…if you're okay with it…" suddenly her shoes are once again very interesting.

"Hey Kaoru!" he calls out behind him as she looks up at the boy in front of her. "She says she's fine with you too!" his twin emerges from behind a tree.

"You're not Kaoru-kun?"

"How boring. I'm getting tired of this pattern." Yet another one had failed this modified 'Guess which one is Hikaru Game.'

"It's a game to you isn't it? Every time a girl confesses, you pull the same trick. Break their hearts and humiliate them, all in one move. I didn't want to believe what they told me, but they were right. You guys really are jerks. Horrible!" she's clearly upset.

"Aren't you the one who's horrible?" he points out. "Saying that either one of us is fine, who do you think you are?"

There is silence. Normally this would be where the girl would burst into tears and run, but this one, to the slight amusement of the twins, didn't.

"You're right." She says quietly, head lowered. "I'm sorry Kaoru-kun."

"I'm Hikaru."

"I shouldn't be 'fine' to accepting you when I'd confessed to Hikaru-kun, even if it didn't reach him. I may as well tell you this right now. I have nothing to lose anyway." She takes a breath. "The truth is, I like you too."

"I told you I'm Hikaru."

"I thought about who to confess to for a long time. Who did I like more? Hikaru-kun who is slightly more protective, extroverted and mischievous, or Kaoru-kun who's the teeniest bit more sensitive, thoughtful and introverted? I thought about it for so long, but then Kimi-chan told me that Kaoru-kun liked someone already."

"So you wrote me the note? I got a confession by default?"

"No, I wrote the note to Hikaru-kun."

"I _am_ Hikaru." Didn't this girl ever listen?

"I'm sorry I fell for your trick. It's just…" she pauses, biting her lip." It's just…no one likes me. No one has ever fancied me, and when you hinted that you liked me, I was happy. Because even thought I'd have no chance with Hikaru-kun, the other person I fancied, liked me back. I should have known better. This kind of thing never happened to girls like me. I'm, just not likable I guess." She lets out a fake laugh. "Oh well, no biggie. You had your fun and I didn't expect anything anyway." she smiles. "Sorry, I probably shouldn't have said so much. I must have bored you both. You probably don't care anyway, that's alright." She turns to leave. "I should go now. Sorry to have taken up your time."

"Wait a second." She stops walking.

"Let's play a game." the other boy adds, finally speaking. She turns back. "If you win, we'll take you on a date."

"Not interested." her answer is blunt. "If you don't like me, then there's no point, is there?" She looks into their faces and her expression softened. "Yea, sure, I'll play."

The twins slide left and right. They simultaneously run a hand through their hair, removing the part.

"Guess which one is Hikaru."

"Hikaru-kun. Kaoru-kun." she points to each in turn.

"Wrong. I'm Kaoru."

"Oh. Kay." she turns to leave again.

The two boys look at each other, communicating.

"Oy!" she turns back. "The school's year-end party next week, you can go with us."

"Great." The excitement they expected wasn't there. "Well I'll see you in class Kaoru-kun, Hikaru-kun." She says, nodding to each in turn.

"For the last time, _I'm_ Kaoru!" they watch her walk away.

"Do you think we went too far this time?"

"Does it really matter? Come, let's go." Both knew that the other wasn't quite sure. This time, it just didn't feel right.

* * *

The next day at lunch, a girl walks up to them. 

"Um…Will Hikaru-kun and Kaoru-kun be coming to the party tomorrow night?"

"Hm? What party?" the elder asks.

"The farewell party for Lee-chan. She's leaving Sunday night. Didn't she tell you?"

"Oh, she must have forgotten." he lies.

"Well, here." she jots down the details on a piece of paper. "It starts at six. I'm sure Lee-chan will be very happy if you come by.

"Mm" they turn back to their laptop, no longer interested. Realizing that she would no longer be granted anything more, the girl returns to her friends.

"Why Hikaru?"

"I don't know."

"Are we going?"

"Why not? Might be interesting."

"Mm." they return to the game.

"Why?"

"I don't know Kaoru, I don't know."

* * *

Saturday comes around. In matching outfits, the twins arrive outside the club in their limo. As they walk in, whispers erupt through their classmates. 

"It's them!"

"Hikaru-kun and Kaoru-kun came!"

"Oh my gosh! Lee-chan is so lucky!"

There are also hisses of jealousy.

"She must have done something to them. They never come to any of my parties."

"You know she confessed to Hikaru-kun Thursday after school. But they rejected her, not surprisingly."

"Shameless, being so bold as to invite them. Who does she think she is? Even I haven't asked them to do anything."

"She must have tricked them somehow. I mean look at the way she dressed, so commoner. There is no way they would want to spend time with her!"

The whispers were everywhere.

"This is boring Kaoru."

"They're always talking about us Hikaru, how tiresome."

"Mm" he approaches one of the gossiping girls. "Where is she?"

The girls point to an inner room. The boys start to walk past them towards the room, but stop after a few steps. They turn back to look at the girls.

"You really shouldn't be talking," the younger sneers.

"Your clothing styles clashes horribly with your hair and you." his brother continues.

"We wouldn't even consider someone who can't even tell what styles they shouldn't wear, yet insist on putting down others."

"At least she knows when a style doesn't fit her." they turn. "Come Kaoru." they continue, ignoring the shocked girls' cries of "so cruel!"

* * *

Pushing the door open, they find the inner room empty except for a jacket on the sofa. Kaoru motions to the open glass door to the balcony. Stepping out into the night air, they see the brunette, arms folded on the railing, back towards them, looking up at the stars. 

"You lied to us."

She turns around to see the twin redheads leaning on the doorframe, one on each side.

"Kaoru-kun! Hikaru-kun! I didn't expect you to come."

"You were planning to leave without telling us?"

"Thought you guys would be happy. 'Boring things should hurry up and disappear.' Isn't that what you say?"

The boys don't know how to respond. It's true she was being sarcastic, but they still felt bad.

"Why?" Kaoru finally speaks up.

"Why what?"

"Why did you accept our invitation to the year-end party if you're leaving tomorrow?"

"I didn't accept."

"You certainly didn't decline."

"You let us think otherwise, you deceived us." Hikaru adds.

She looks straight into his eyes.

"Didn't you?"

"Eh?"

"You lied to me too."

"What are you talking about?"

"I guessed right that day didn't I?" she looks from Hikaru to Kaoru. "And I did not mistake Hikaru-kun for you. It was Kaoru-kun I talked me, am I right?"

The brothers look at each other.

"You don't have to answer."

Kaoru speaks.

"Why did you change your mind about the game?"

She smiles.

"You both looked so disappointed when I said 'no' even thought I knew you'd lie, it was worth it if it made you happier." But it didn't.

"How can you be so sure who is who?" Hikaru demands. "What do you base it on?"

"Intuition. I just know."

How can you, when not even the maids who raised us can?"

"I don't know Hikaru, I just can. Maybe I paid more attention because I fancy you."

"We've had people confess before."

She says nothing more, but goes back inside. Hikaru joins his brother leaning on the railing.

"There's a difference." The silence is broken.

"Kaoru?" he looks at his brother, trying to figure out what he meant.

"_They_ liked Hitachiin Hikaru and Kaoru. _She_ likes Hitachiin Hikaru and Hitachiin Kaoru."

Hikaru looks at his brother incredulously. What he'd said was true.

"You know, I think I knew that, deep down."

Kaoru nods. It is quiet as it sinks in. Someone had told them apart. Someone has cared enough to learn who was who. Someone genuinely liked them for who they are as individuals, yet didn't want to separate them. Someone who cared about their happiness, and they'd broken her heart. Someone had made then feel guilty.

"I hate her!" Hikaru declares.

"Me too." a pause.

"Let's find her." they push off from the railing and go back inside. She is nowhere to be seen. Kimi-kun tells them she'd just left with her bags, saying something about a hotel. They go outside to see her trying to hail a taxi. Hikaru takes her hand, thereby getting her attention and preventing her getting a taxi.

"Hikaru-kun?"

"Where are you going?"

"Kaoru-kun! Oh I _was_ trying to get a taxi to find a cheap hotel for the night. I gave notice to the landlord a bit too early by mistake, so I had to leave today."

"Aren't you staying for the rest of the party?"

"It is your farewell party."

"You're kidding right? For the whole year I've been here, I haven't made any real friends. Closest I had, were you two, which says a lot. My farewell is just an excuse for a party. No one would notice if I slipped out."

"We did."

"Well thank you Hikaru-kun. Now if you don't let go of my hand, I won't be able to get a taxi." she starts to pull her hand away.

"That was the point." Kaoru takes the bag that she was holding in her other hand and outs it in the truck of their limo with the others.

"HEY!"

"Come on." he hooks his arm through hers while his brother does the same, and they 'escort' her into their car. "No way are we letting something as cute as you spend a night in a cheap hotel." he taps her nose. Blush.

"You'll stay at our place."

"Our parents are away." blush harder.

"And tomorrow we're going on a date." they say together.

"Hold on! Do I get a say in this?"

"Emma-chan," Hikaru takes bother her hands in his. "Kaoru and I have realized something."

"We both like you a lot. You are the only person to have seen us as two different people, not copies of one another."

"That's why you're abducting me? Because I can tell you apart?"

"You cared about us enough to pay attention, to pick up the slight differences between us."

"Unlike those other girls who've confessed, we are not interchangeable to you. Being with me is not the same as being with Hikaru."

"You like and see us for who we really are, not just our reputation. Not only that, you care about us and what we want."

"That just describes a decent friend. Doesn't mean we should go out."

"You like us, so why are you being so difficult?" Kaoru says with false annoyance.

"I'm paranoid?" the boys laugh with her.

"Okay, how about the inexplicable reason that we like you that way, plain and simple?" he says softly in her ear, sending a tingle down her.

"Um…" she pretends to think, to the annoyance of the boys.

"Emma," she turns her head and finds them nose to nose. "Shut up." Hikaru silences her lips with his.

"Not fair!" his brother protests. "You got her first kiss!"

"Sorry Kaoru, but I'm sure you'll find some other first to claim." they both smirk.

"…" she edges away, or at least she would have, had she not been trapped between them, and had Kaoru not decided he wanted to prove his affection.

"Emma," he purrs in her ear. Her heart jumps. She's almost too scared to turn, but he turns her face towards him. As he closes the distance between them, she leans backwards, attempting to avoid the advancing boy, until she feels fingers on her back. Hikaru gives a push and lips meet. A gasp escapes her lips and grants entrance to the younger twin.

"First French kiss." he announces, finally releasing her, both a little flushed.

"We're here!" The twins exit the car, but she remains inside.

"Come out."

"We're home!"

"It's okay…" she says apprehensively. "I don't want to bother you…It's probably not such a good idea…"

The twins smile to themselves and enter the limo, seating themselves on each side of the girl. Hikaru lowers his mouth to her ear.

"You're so cute when you're being shy." Tingle. Down. Spine. Blush. Each boy takes a hand.

"Come now." They coax her out of the limo and through the doors of their home.

* * *

"Wake up Em-chan." Emma opens an eye and sees two identical faces hovering above her. 

"Mmm…" she closes the eye.

"Wake up Sleeping Beauty." She opens an eye again, giving Kaoru a funny look before closing it again.

"Hikaru, she won't wake up." Kaoru whines.

"Hmm… How _do_ you wake up a Sleeping Beauty?" She could hear the sneaky smile in his voice.

"Ah…" Kaoru's too. She feels him lean down, her heart quickens. Throwing the quilt over his head, she quickly sits up.

"I'm up! Let's go!" in a flash she was out of bed and in the bathroom.

"She's so cute when she's being shy." they laugh and go get ready.

The Hitachiin twins had the whole day planned. Emma is shocked when they take her to a famous café for lunch.

"I can't afford this! If everything you've planned today costs this much, I'll be broke before noon!" Considering its 11:58, that said a lot.

"Isn't she cute Kaoru?" Hikaru wraps an arm around her.

"Silly girl, it's a date! Of course we're paying." he does the same.

"But…"

"Shush." he puts a finger to her lips. "Just let us have our way okay?"

"But…" Kaoru kisses her, stunning her long enough to get her inside. Upon regaining her senses, Emma agrees to give up fighting. After all, she was leaving, and there was no way she could win.

* * *

After lunch is shopping. The twins go wild with their fashion sense. She leaves the mall with a completely different look. Next is an amusement park. With their combined effort, they win her an adorable white bunny. The trio goes on all the rides, including the gigantic Ferris wheel on which the boys decide to steal more kisses to Emma's annoyance. For dinner, they take her to a romantic restaurant. 

"Reservation for three. Name's Hitachiin." The waiter leads them to their table. By candlelight, the meal is served and eaten to the music of the band.

"This pasta is very good. Try it." She reaches for the fork pointed at her, but Hikaru moves it from her reach. He brings it to her mouth again. She blushes, refusing.

"Come on Em-chan, you know you want to…" he coaxes. She smiles and gives in shyly. Hikaru gently places the food in her mouth and slowly pulls the fork out.

"Mmm."

"It's good isn't it?" she nods

"Try mine." She lets Kaoru feed her as well. They have the same thing, but then again, the food wasn't the point. She offers both boys some of her risotto from her fork in return. They share the rest of the meal, including dessert.

* * *

As they leave, she is stopped by the waiter. 

"Emma Lee-san?" the waiter asks. She nods. He gives her two individually wrapped red roses.

"Thank you." Looking at the cards, she tried to suppress a small smile. Her dates are waiting outside, grinning. She smells the flowers. "Thank you."

"I think we deserve a reward. Don't you think so Hikaru?" his brother nods.

"Eh?...like what?" she's almost afraid to ask.

"A kiss." Hikaru replies, sending her hiding behind the rabbit and roses.

"You're so cute when you're shy." Hikaru lowers the objects from her face. "Come here." he draws her close and wraps his arms around her waist. She instinctively does the same. She looks up at him. He closes the distance, she closes her eyes. He runs his tongue along her lips until she grants him entrance. She lets out a small whimper, much like when Kaoru kissed her in the limo the night before. When he lets go, Kaoru pulls her into an identical embrace.

"What about me?" he only takes a simple kiss, but she's still dazed. She touches her lips. She'd been snogged my both Hitachiin twins, and more than once. The boys laugh at her amazement.

"Come on" Hikaru takes the flowers, and each boy holds one of her hands. "Let's go to naughty things."

"Kaoru!" she tries to swat at him, only to realize she'd been captured. She pouts instead.

* * *

They take her to see a movie, She frowns when she sees it is a scary thriller. The twins' plan is obvious. She refuses to go in. No amount of pulling or coaxing would work. She even threatens them. 

"I won't let you kiss me ever again!"

But she gave them hope.

"Besides, I can't clutch onto either of you in a movie theater."

"What about in private?" their eyes sparkle. She blushes but says nothing. The twins rent a private room in the cinema. The room has a large screen on one wall, and couches to sit on. As the movie starts, the boys sit Emma between them. She latches onto Hikaru when the psycho first shows up, burying her face in his chest. He puts his arm around her. She doesn't let go, peeking every now and then. Halfway through the movie, Kaoru pulls her arm gently, turning her to face him. Hikaru helps transfer her to his brother.

* * *

"It's over." Emma peels herself off Kaoru, instantly missing the warmth. The boys laugh at her rosy cheeks. 

"Meanies!" she pouts, looking even cuter.

"Sorry." They peck her on the cheeks and exit the theatre. By now it's eleven and time for the final event. In the limo, they blindfold her.

"What's going on?"

"A surprise."

"You'll like this."

* * *

They carefully lead her from the limo into the field. 

"There's a blanket at your feet. We're going to lie down." Hikaru tells her.

They assist her getting down, and lie on her back.

"You can take it off now." Kaoru removes the blindfold.

"Wow!" The sky sparkles with stars. "It's beautiful."

"We knew you'd like it." The three lay in silence, fingers intertwined, admiring the sight, listening to the wind through the grasses.

"Do you really have to go, Emma?"

"Sorry Hikaru, but my scholarship and program is over. I'm only here for one year."

"It's just such a shame. We finally find you, and you're leaving."

"We can stay in contact with e-mail and telephone."

"Yeah…"

* * *

"Emma," Kaoru sits up. "You alright?" he touches her wet cheek. 

She leaps up, flinging her arms around his neck.

"I'm going to miss you both so much. Finally I fall for someone who likes me back, and I may never see you again!" she cries into his shoulder. "How can I go home knowing my heart's here?"

Hikaru embraces her from behind.

"It'll be okay."

Kaoru pulls away a little, brushing away her tears with his thumb.

"We'll come visit you soon okay?" with a finger he guides her lips to meet his, and Hikaru presses a kiss to the base of her neck. "Promise you'll wait for us?" she nods and they embrace again. The three sit like that for hours, just taking in each other.

* * *

"We should probably go now." 

"Mm."

They'd decided to walk to the airport so they'd have more time in each other's presence. They walk down the crowded street, the boys have an arm around her shoulders and she holds the bunny close to her chest. A gruff man in a suit hurries past them, jolting her. The rabbit flies out of her hands and into the street. She runs after it.

"No! Emma!"

"Stop!"

"Hikaru and Kaoru won me the rabbit. I need her! She's all I'm going to have!"

She picks up the rabbit and hugs it. She stands up and looks both ways before crossing the street. The boys breathe a sigh of relief as she reaches their side of the road. Just as she's about to step onto the pavement, a yellow sports car races down the street. A flash of yellow, a scream, a thud, a flying bunny…everything happens in a fraction of a second, and it's over. The car is gone, and the street is quiet. She lay on the pavement, thrown by the impact, in a pool of blood

"EMMA!" Hikaru and Kaoru rush to her side. "No! No! No!" she coughs up blood.

"No! Please! Don't go!" They hold onto her, not caring that their clothes were getting stained.

"No! Don't close your eyes! Hold on! Please!"

"Open your eyes, dammit! Open your eyes!"

He eyes slowly open.

"Don't go to sleep you hear?" one warns her.

"Hold on to the sounds of our voices."

She tries to reach to touch their faces. They take her hand.

"Don't die on us. You promised you'd wait for us to come visit you. You promised."

"You better not die! We're not going to let you. We've finally fallen in love!"

"You can't leave us, not like this. We love you too much to let you go!"

She motions for them to lean down.

"I…"she coughs again. "I…I love you." she says barely audible. She smiles. Then her eyes shut, and her hand goes limp. A tears falls from the corner of her eye. _Sorry Kaoru, Hikaru._

"Emma! Wake up! Wake up!" her body is limp.

"No! Why!" Tears flow from them as they hold her close. The ambulance comes. The paramedics take the body from them. They ride the hospital holding onto each other for comfort. Then everything goes black.

* * *

"How are they, doctor?" 

"Mrs. Hitachiin, it seems that the trauma was too much for them. From our psychologist's examinations, we believe that they, in the short while they were with her, the developed an intense bond and emotional relationship. What I mean is, she had a profound effect on them. They finally let someone into their circle, which took a lot of trust and an immense connection, and she was ripped from them so suddenly and right in front of their eyes. It was too much to handle and they've pushed all memory of her away."

"What should we do?"

"I think, to prevent mental anguish, it'd be best that they not be reminded of her. When the time is right, they will remember on their own."

* * *

"Hey Kaoru! She says she's okay with you too!" Yet another one had failed. There was no one, no one on this earth who could tell them apart. Never was, never will be. 

That night, the boys lie awake in bed.

"Is there really no one who will see us for who we are, Hikaru?"

"I don't know Kaoru. I want to say there is, but…I don't know."

"Maybe that maid was right. Maybe no one will ever tell us apart."

"No one on this earth."

They hug, comforting each other.

* * *

In the attic, a blood-stained white stuffed rabbit sits in a wooden chest with two dried roses wrapped in a plastic, perfectly preserved. **

* * *

**

**One year later…**

"Guess which one is Hikaru?"

"That's Hikaru, that's Kaoru." The short-haired brunette points to each in turn.

"Wrong!"

"I'm not wrong." Haruhi smiles.

* * *

naive-wings: Just in case anyone needs the clarification. The story happens in their first year of lower high school. The incident after the accident is the one from episode 20. 


End file.
